What goes into the box matters—especially when you’re fulfilling marketplace orders. Every platform has different expectations for packing slips, inserts, and tone. Get it right, and you look professional and in control. Get it wrong, and you risk negative reviews, returns, or even account penalties.

Channel-specific messaging is about more than just formatting—it’s about delivering the right experience for the right customer under the right set of rules. That means knowing what messaging is allowed, what tone fits, and how to execute without adding friction to fulfillment.

In this post—part of a series on marketplace fulfillment for beauty brands—we break down how Etsy, Amazon, and Faire each require distinct messaging strategies, and how to build a system that handles all three without making costly mistakes.

Amazon: Compliant, Clean, and Impersonal

Amazon is the strictest marketplace when it comes to in-box messaging. Personal notes, promo codes, and anything that redirects the customer off-platform (including social media links or branded inserts) can trigger warnings—or worse.

Your fulfillment system must support:

  • Plain, policy-compliant packing slips: Order info only—no lifestyle copy, no branding-heavy visuals.
  • Automatic suppression of inserts: No thank-you cards, coupons, or product samples unless pre-approved.
  • Careful handling of gift notes: Amazon allows short gift messages, but they need to be printed exactly as entered, with no added branding or interpretation.

Fulfillment risk: Including a noncompliant insert can result in a flagged shipment, seller performance warning, or suspension. Amazon doesn’t care whether it was a mistake or a mix-up—they expect it to never happen.

Etsy: Warm, Branded, and Personal

Etsy buyers expect something completely different. Here, personality matters. Whether it’s a gift or a treat, Etsy buyers expect packaging that feels thoughtful—not transactional.

Your Etsy fulfillment setup should allow for:

  • Branded, boutique-style packing slips: Include your logo, thank-you message, and product details. Light emotional copy is often welcome.
  • Custom thank-you notes or inserts: These are not only allowed but often expected. They can reinforce your brand, encourage reviews, or suggest reorders—without pushing too hard.
  • Gift note inclusion: Etsy gift notes need to feel personal and thoughtful. Fulfilling these sloppily (or omitting them) kills the moment for the buyer and the recipient.
  • Review-friendly messaging: Light, sincere copy encouraging reviews—without offering incentives—can be effective.

Fulfillment risk: A generic slip or missing gift note may not violate policy, but it weakens the customer experience and lowers your odds of getting five-star reviews or repeat business.

Faire: Functional, Neutral, and Wholesale-Ready

Faire is a wholesale platform, and your messaging should reflect a B2B, not B2C, relationship. The customer isn’t a consumer—it’s a retailer preparing to resell your products.

For Faire orders, your messaging should focus on:

  • Clean, SKU-level packing slips: Retailers want to verify counts and SKUs quickly. Include SKU, quantity, and product name—keep formatting tight and clear.
  • Zero promotional content: No thank-you notes, discount cards, or lifestyle copy. Retailers want neutral presentation.
  • Optional inclusion of UPC or batch codes: Depending on your product type and retailer preferences, barcodes or lot info may need to appear on slips.

Fulfillment risk: A branded insert or promotional message that might feel charming in a DTC or Etsy context can make your business look unprofessional to a retailer. They’re evaluating you as a supplier—not a gift box brand.

Operational Requirements: Make It Automatic

Messaging by channel sounds simple in theory—but without system-level automation, it’s chaos in practice.

Your fulfillment setup should support:

  • Default slip logic by platform: No manual decisions. Every order source should trigger a pre-formatted, platform-appropriate packing slip.
  • Insert logic by channel or tag: Amazon? No insert. Etsy? Yes to thank-you card. This logic needs to live in your workflow, not in someone’s memory.
  • Gift note parsing and formatting: Gift messages should pass cleanly from platform to printout—no missed fields, no manual transcription.
  • Audit trails: If a gift note or insert was supposed to be included, you should be able to confirm that it was.

Bottom line: If you’re relying on staff to remember what’s allowed for each platform, you’re going to make mistakes. The system needs to own the logic.

Final Word

Packing slips and inserts aren’t throwaways—they’re extensions of your brand. But in marketplace fulfillment, they’re also compliance risks. Channel-specific messaging ensures every order reflects not just your brand tone, but the rules of the road.

At IronLinx, we help beauty brands scale across Etsy, Amazon, and Faire with the right slip logic, insert controls, and gift note systems already built in.

Need a messaging setup that won’t break under pressure? Let’s talk!